Visor with retractable glare shields

ABSTRACT

An improved visor assembly for motor vehicles is disclosed which includes one or more retractable glare screens which are integrated with the visor structure such that they can be extended and retracted from the visor as needed. The glare screens are preferably made from a transparent tinted material which reduces the intensity of bright lights or glare which the driver may be exposed to. The glare screens are guided for retracting movement through using slot followers which travel in elongated guide slots formed by the visor center board member. Clearance slots are formed along the perimeter edge of the visor by using elongated reinforcement members. The visor according to this invention can be produced economically and enables the glare screens to be extended and retracted without binding.

BACKGROUND AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a sun visor assembly and paticularly to oneequipped with multiple retractable glare screens.

Motor vehicles have been equipped with sun visors since the early daysof motor transportation. Sun visors are typically connected to thewindshield header of the vehicle by an articulated joint which permitsthe visor to be positioned to shade the vehicle occupant from the directrays of the sun or other light sources. Sun visors not only increase thecomfort and convenience of driving in bright sunlight and at night, butalso are considered safety items since glare can interfere with thedriver's vision of traffic and road hazards. Although visors generallyperform adequately, in certain driving conditions, it is desirable toprovide a tinted transparent shield which the driver can see throughwhile reducing the intensity of bright glare. Such devices areparticularly useful in night driving conditions when headlights ofoncoming cars are directed at the driver. Several designs of modifiedsun visors are presently known having internally retained retractableglare screens. Other devices according to the prior art disclose glarescreen assemblies which attach to existing sun visors which can beretracted and adjusted to suit the particular conditions.

Although sun visors with retractable glare screens are presently known,there is a need to provide such a device which is less complex in designand more economically produced than present designs. Further, it isdesirable to provide such a visor which enables the auxiliary glarescreens to be retracted and extended without binding. Since an auxiliaryglare screen device is preferably transparent and would advantageouslybe made of a polymeric plastic material, it is desirable to insure thatsuch glare screens will not become scratched or abraded as they areextended and retracted which could impair their transparency and degradetheir appearance. The visor with auxiliary glare screens according tothis invention provides the above-mentioned desirable features, therebyimproving over such devices known to the prior art.

Additional benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention relatesfrom the subsequent description of the preferred embodiments and theappended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a rear elevational view of a visor with retractable lower andside auxiliary glare screens according to this invention showing theglare screens in their retracted positions;

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view like FIG. 1 except showing the lowerand side auxiliary glare screens in their extended positions;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the visor according to this invention with oneleaf of the outer board removed, thereby showing the internal componentsand features of the visor in detail;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3particularly showing the guide slot and slot follower which mounts thelower auxiliary glare screen; and

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 3particularly showing the lower perimeter edge of the visor assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A visor with retractable glare screens is shown by the drawings of thisspecification and is generally designated by reference number 10. Asshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, visor 10 is attached to a motor vehicle by visorarm 12 which enables the visor to be rotated about vertical andhorizontal axes, thereby enabling the visor to be placed in a desiredposition. Visor 10 includes lower auxiliary glare screen 14 and sideauxiliary glare screen 16. Glare screens 14 and 16 are shown in theirretracted positions in FIG. 1 and in their extended positions in FIG. 2.In use, a driver or other vehicle occupant can extend either or both ofglare screens 14 and 16 in order to reduce the intensity of annoyingglare.

With specific reference to FIG. 3, the novel means according to thisinvention for supporting and guiding auxiliary glare screens 14 and 16is described. Visor 10 includes outer board assembly 18 which isfabricated to form a pair of substantially identical leaves separated bya scored fold line. Outer board assembly 18 is folded over the internalcomponents of the visor and its perimeter edges are secured together bysewing or bonding to complete fabrication of the article. FIG. 4 showssome of the details of outer board assembly 18. Typically, outer boardassembly 18 would be comprised of a number of layers including outerboard member 20, an intermediate layer of foam 22 or other cushion, anda covering layer of fabric material 24. The outer perimeter of outerboard assembly 18 is locally separated to define a pair of clearanceslots 26 and 28 enabling glare screens 14 and 16 to pass therethrough.Slot 26 is defined by edge reinforcement members 30 and 32, best shownin FIG. 5. Edge reinforcement members 30 and 32 are elongated and formedfrom sheet metal with rolled over edges which clamp the perimeter edgeof outer board member 20. The ends of edge reinforcement members 30 and32 are held together by deflecting tab 34 after it is passed throughslot 36. Foam 22 and fabric 24 become rolled over edge reinforcementmembers 30 and 32 and are stitched or bonded in place as shown in FIG.4. Slot 28 is formed using additional edge reinforcement members (notshown) which are identical to (except for length) members 30 and 32described above.

Now with particular reference to FIG. 3, visor 10 includes center board38 which is enclosed by outer board assembly 18. Detent clip 40 isattached to center board 38 and wraps around visor arm 12 to provide adesired level of torsional friction which enables the visor to remain ata desired rotated position. Reinforcement plate 42 is affixed to centerboard 38 by staples and defines upper rolled over edge 44 which enclosesvisor arm 12. Retention clip 46 is provided to engage with a clampmember (not shown) affixed to the motor vehicle header to securelyretain the visor along the windshield header of the motor vehicle whendesired. Retention clip 46 is preferably held in position by providingan integral post (not shown) which is inserted within rolled over edge44 of reinforcement plate 42. Center board 38 defines a pair of guideslots 48 and 50 which are oriented perpendicular to each other. Guideslot 48 is positioned to intersect the center of clearance slot 26,whereas guide slot 50 intersects the center of clearance slot 28.

Slot follower 52 is attached to lower auxiliary glare screen 14 usingthreaded fasteners 54. One or more washers 56 are retained by fasteners54 which thread into plate 58 to clamp glare screen 14. Washers 56 havean outside diameter substantially larger than the width of slot 48,thereby retaining slot follower 52 within the guide slot. Slot follower52 is disposed within guide slot 48 and is designed to minimize thelikelihood of binding of glare screen 14 when it is retracted andextended. This feature is provided by forming slot follower 52 such thatits length along the centerline of guide slot 48 designated by dimensionA is at least two and one-half times the width of the slot, designatedby dimension B. It was found that this relationship provides the properguiding effect and prevents glare screen 14 from becoming canted andbinding while it is being extended or retracted. Glare screen 14 furtherdefines pull tab 60 which enables convenient grasping of the screen whenit is being retracted and extended. The positioning of pull tab 60 ispreferably aligned with guide slot 48 such that forces on the pull tabwill cause glare screen 14 to move without binding.

Side auxiliary glare screen 16 is constructed and retained in visor 10like glare screen 14. Glare screen 16 includes pull tab 62 forconvenient manipulation. Slot follower 64 is affixed to screen 16 usingfasteners 54, washer 56 and threaded plate 66 in a manner identical withthat described above. The previously described relationship between thelength and width of slot follower 64 is also provided to avoid bindingproblems.

As shown in FIG. 3, glare screens 14 and 16 are disposed on oppositesides of center board 38 so that they will not interfere in theirretracted positions. This positioning of glare screens 14 and 16 furtherreduces the likelihood of scratching or abrading of the glare screenwhich could result if they were able to contact each other. Glarescreens 14 and 16 are loaded into position on center board 38 andfasteners 54 are threaded into plates 58 and 66 to retain washers 56thereby preventing slot followers 52 and 64 from escaping from slots 48and 50. In order to provide protection against scratching or abrading ofthe surfaces of glare screens 14 and 16, a thin plastic or fabricmembrane 68 may be interposed between center board 38 and screens 14 or16.

While the above description constitutes the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, it will be appreciated that the invention issusceptible to modification, variation and change without departing fromthe proper scope and fair meaning of the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A visor for a motor vehicle having one or moreretractable auxiliary glare screens, said visor of the type having acenter board member which is enclosed by an outer board member, saidvisor comprising:a pair of edge reinforcement members each engaging anedge of said outer board member to define a locally separated clearanceslot for said auxiliary glare screen, said center board defining anelongated guide slot aligned substantially with the center of saidclearance slot, and a slot follower affixed to said glare screen andtraveling in said guide slot to guide said glare screen and to limit therange of motion of said glare screen.
 2. The visor for a motor vehicleaccording to claim 1 comprising a lower auxiliary glare screen and aside auxiliary glare screen, said glare screens disposed on oppositesides of said center board, thereby preventing said glare screens frominterfering in their retracted position.
 3. The visor for a motorvehicle according to claim 2 further comprising a membrane positionedbetween said lower auxiliary glare screen and said side auxiliary glarescreen to prevent said glare screens from scratching each other whenmoved between their extended and retracted positions.
 4. The visor for amotor vehicle according to claim 1 wherein the length of said slotfollower along the direction of extension of said guide slot is at leasttwo and one-half times the width of said slot follower.
 5. A visor for amotor vehicle having a retractable side auxiliary glare screen and aretractable lower auxiliary glare screen, said visor of the type havinga center board member which is enclosed by an outer board member, saidvisor comprising:a first pair of edge reinforcement members eachengaging a portion of the perimeter edge of said outer board member todefine a locally separated first clearance slot for said side auxiliaryglare screen, said center board member defining a first elongated guideslot aligned substantially with the center of said first clearance slot,a first slot follower affixed to said side auxiliary glare screen anddisposed in said first guide slot, said first guide slot and said firstslot follower guiding said side auxiliary glare screen and limiting therange of motion of said side auxiliary glare screen, a second pair ofedge reinforcement members each engaging a portion of the perimeter edgeof said outer board member to define a locally separated secondclearance slot for said lower auxiliary glare screen, said center boardmember defining a second elongated guide slot aligned substantially withthe center of said second clearance slot, and a second slot followeraffixed to said lower auxiliary glare screen and disposed in said secondguide slot, said second guide slot and said second slot follower guidingsaid lower auxiliary glare screen and limiting the range of motion ofsaid lower auxiliary glare screen, said side and lower auxiliary glarescreens disposed on opposing sides of said center board member.
 6. Thevisor for a motor vehicle according to claim 4 wherein the length ofeach of said slot followers along the direction of extension of saidguide slot is at least two and one-half times the width of said slotfollowers.
 7. The visor for a motor vehicle according to claim 5 furthercomprising a membrane positioned between said lower auxiliary glarescreen and said side auxiliary glare screen to prevent said glarescreens from scratching each other when moved between their extended andretracted positions.